A LIMOUSIN steer from Toll Cattle and St John's College Dubbo has taken the double, winning both the grand champion carcase and grand champion live steer trophies of the 2019 Sydney Royal purebred steer competition.
Presented today at the Sydney Royal Show, the black Limousin steer bred by Toll Cattle and purchased by Craig Cook Prime Quality Meats, received an impresive 92.5 points out of the possible 100 and was named the middleweight champion before going all the way.
Also receiving a gold medal the steer had a carcase weight of 294.5 kilograms, a dressing percentage of 63.1 per cent, and measured 10 millimetres and 8mm in the P8 and rib fat to receive full points in these areas.
He recorded an eye muscle area of 108 centimetres squared and a B+ muscle score, with a pH of 5.53, ossification of 100 and a marble score of one.
The steer was sired by RUNL Extra Royal following the Toll's recent trip through Canada and the US in search of quality genetics, and was unstoppable in the live judging on April 11.
Champion virtual taste test went to Chris Knox and Helen Alexander from DSK Angus and Charolais, Coonabarabran, with their lightweigh Angus steer that scored 62.8 for the virtual taste test component.
Oxley High School claimed the champion school carcase with their Limousin middleweight school steer that scored 90 points, bred by King Creek Limousins. Reserve champion school carcase went to Brisbane Waters Secondary with their 87.5 scoring Limousin steer bred by Toll Cattle.
Lightweight champion carcase went to Tony Starr from Starrs Limousins with his 89 point scoring steer that placed over St John's College Dubbo's reserve champion lightweight carcase with 87.5 points.
Just behind the grand champion carcase in the middleweight section was another St John's College Dubbo steer, bred by the Robson family of Flemington Limousins, Adelong, that scored 90.5 and received reserve champion middleweight carcase along with a gold medal.
The 11-month-old (reserve champion middleweight) was sired by Flemington Longyard, the $28,000 sale-topper of 2017 Limousin National and from the same cow line as the supreme exhibit of the Limousin show over the weekend, said breeder Donna Robson, who selected the steer for the school.
The heavyweight section was won by Red Bend Catholic College with a Limousin steer that scored 92 points, while Wellington High School was reserve heavyweight champion carcase with their 91.5 point scoring Simmental/Fleckvieh steer.
Scots All Saints College were the winners of the most succcessful school exhibitor section in the steer classes while St John's College Dubbo received first place in the group of school carcase, and equal second in the groups went to Red Bend Catholic College and Oxley High School.
The Breeder's Group was won by King Creek Limousins, with Toll Cattle in second and BW. and MM. Brooker in third.
Stanhill Trophy results
The 2019 Stanhill Trophy went to the Simmental and Fleckvieh group of three that scored a total of 259 out of a possible 300 in the carcase section.
The winning team consisted of two steers bred and exhibited by Jason and Jacqueline Impey of Mala Daki Simmentals that scored 88 and 89 points, and another steer exhibited by Frensham and bred by Nicole and John Hopkins of Wormbete Simmentals that scored 82 points.
The Impey's class winning steer, that scored 88 points, was sired by Mala Daki Red Amigo K649, while their other steer was by Sprindside Eldorado.
"They were weaned near Christmas and onto feed from then. They were fed Johnson pellets to start with from South Australia, and then finished on the Alexander Downs Feedlot Mix towards the end as the pellets ran out," the Impeys said.
In second place in the Stanhill Trophy was the Angus with 255 points. It comprised of two steers from BW. and MM. Brooker that scored 86 and 83 points, and a steer from Justin Richards and North Bullagreen Partnership.
Third place went to the shorthorn team with 254.5 points.
Trade carcase results
The trade section had grand champion trade carcase go to ED Cattle Company, Manilla, with their Limousin/Square Meater cross steer that scored 88.8 points and a bronze medal.
Taking home the champion ribbon for the second consecutive year was Ian Lamb from ED Cattle Company, who last year had a ripper year winning champion and reserve champion carcases of the trade section.
Mr Lamb said this year's steer was from a Square Meater cow and by a Limousin bull he selected for his early maturing ability and extra grunt he would add the his progeny.
"I AI'd (artificially inseminated) the cow to RUNL Stetson 850S, who is a bull out of the states," he said.
"He was 13 months old and fed for about 100 days on dry distilled grain with rice straw and cotton seed.
Reserve champion trade carcase was exhibited by Arndell Anglican College and bred by Brinsley Pastoral Co, also with a Limousin/Square Meater cross steer, that was close behind on 88.3 points, and receiving a silver medal.
Champion virtual taste test trade carcase was Natalie Martin's entry, a Murray Grey cross.